This invention relates to an anti-theft system for automotive vehicles.
Several anti-theft systems for automotive vehicles have been proposed e.g. by Japanese Provisional Patent Publications (Kokai) Nos. 60-50050 through 60-50056, according to which, when a driver leaves the vehicle, it is detected whether or not locking of all covering parts which are openable and closable, such as doors, a trunk, and a bonnet (hereinafter merely called "coverings") has been properly effected, and upon the lapse of a certain time period after detection of such locking an alarm permission mode is set up, whereby if a door lock is broken, or any one of the coverings is opened without effecting a predetermined resetting operation for cancelling the alarm permission mode, the alarm is given immediately. Generally, in such systems, the alarm permission mode is cancelled either when it is detected that a door lock is rotated from a locking position to an unlocking position by operation of a proper key, or when it is detected that a looking and unlocking lever of a door lock mechanism is swung in the unlocking direction. Therefore, these conventional systems cannot protect the automotive vehicles from such illegal burglarious conduct such as operation of an indoor lock knob after breakage of a door glass, or forcibly swinging the locking and unlocking lever of the door lock mechanism by means of a wire, etc. which is inserted through a gap between the windowpane of a door and the frame of the door.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an anti-theft system for automotive vehicles which makes it impossible to illegally unlock a lock of an automotive vehicle by breaking a door windowpane or by the use of a wire, etc.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an anti-theft system for automotive vehicles, which makes it impossible to illegally unlock a door of an automotive vehicle by the use of an improper key.
According to the invention, an anti-theft system for an automotive vehicle is provided which comprises: a key having predetermined information; receiver means provided in the automotive vehicle for receiving a signal from the key; discriminating means for receiving an output signal from the receiver means and discriminating whether or not the output signal represents the predetermined information; first detecting means for detecting whether a plurality of covering members of the automotive vehicle are closed or open; second detecting means for detecting whether the covering members are locked or unlocked; actuator means responsive to output signals from the first and second detecting means indicating that at least one predetermined one of the covering members is closed and locked, for performing a predetermined anti-theft operation; and disabling means responsive to an output signal from the discriminating means indicating that the output signal from the receiver means represents the predetermined information, for disabling the operation of the actuator means.
Preferably, the anti-theft system includes a third detecting means for detecting whether the key has been removed from a predetermined key hole, the actuator means being responsive to output signals from the first, second, and third detecting means indicating that the second key has been removed from the predetermined key hole, and the at least one predetermined covering member is closed and locked, for performing the predetermined anti-theft operation.
The actuator means may comprise alarming means responsive to an output signal from the first detecting means indicating that predetermined one of the covering members has been opened in a manner other than a predetermined opening manner, for performing a predetermined alarming operation.
Alternatively, the actuator means may comprise means for disabling starting of an engine installed in the automotive vehicle.
The anti-theft system may include breakage detecting means for detecting breakage of a predetermined windowpane, and the actuator means may comprise means responsive to an output signal from the breakage detecting means indicating that the predetermined windowpane has been broken, for performing a predetermined alarming operation.
Preferably, the automotive vehicle has a lock mechanism for locking and unlocking respective one of the covering members, the lock mechanism including lever means being rotatable for locking and unlocking the respective one of the covering members, the actuator means comprising means for rendering the operation of the lever means ineffective and thereby prohibiting unlocking of the respective one of the covering members.
The means for rendering the operation of the lever means ineffective may comprise an actuator, and a free rotation mechanism driven by the actuator for rendering the lever means freely rotatable whereby unlocking of the respective one of the covering members is not realized.
More preferably, the automotive vehicle includes a cylinder lock provided in at least one of the covering members and being operatable from outside of the automotive vehicle and a lock knob provided in the at least one covering member and being operatable from inside of the automotive vehicle, the lever means of the lock mechanism comprising a first locking lever being rotatable in response to operation of at least one of the cylinder lock and the lock knob, and a second locking lever being rotatable to cause the lock mechanism to selectively assume a position in which the at least one covering member is locked or a position in which the at least one covering member is unlocked, the means for rendering the operation of the lever means ineffective comprising clutch means provided between the first locking lever and the second locking lever for interlocking the first and second locking levers with each other such that the first and second locking levers can rotate together and for disengaging the first and second locking levers from each other.
Further preferably, the key having the predetermined information includes: a magnetic element arranged at least in part thereof and forming predetermined information; and/or infrared ray emitting means arranged at least in part thereof for emitting infrared ray carrying another predetermined information.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.